Macrium Reflect Server Plus offers a rich feature set for restoring backups taken of SQL databases.

Restoring MS SQL to time of backup

Select SQL Server Restore.

You should see your backups. If no backups show click Folders to search, to direct Macrium Reflect to the location of the SQL backup files.

The left hand tree shows databases that can be restored.

Select the databases you wish to restore.The middle of the screen shows controls for choosing the destination instance, database name and directory that contains the MDF and LDF files. The controls automatically default to the instance, database name and directory of the original backup. The latest backup is selected.

If you wish to restore to a different backup click Select time... and select the backup you wish to restore to.

When you are happy with the selection, click Restore.

Review the summary and click Restore.

A warning box appears, if appropriate click Yes to continue with the restore.

The restore completes and a dialog box advising completion appears.

Click OK.

Restoring MS SQL to a point-in-time

In some circumstances, it is possible to restore a database to a specific point-in-time. This is especially useful if you have accidentally deleted a table or other specific piece of data and need to roll back to the point just before the delete was done. The following situations must be considered when trying to restore to a point-in-time:

The database must be running the FULL recovery model.

It is not possible to restore to a point-in-time prior to the last full or differential backup.

It is not possible to restore to a point-in-time between full or differential images. You can restore to a point-in-time from the last full or differential to the present.

In order to restore to a point-in-time:

On the Restore task pane, select SQL Server Restore and select a database.

Click Select Time... you see the following dialog showing the history of backups made for the selected database.

Select Restore to a specific date and time.

Select the time you wish to restore to, either setting the time and date manually, or selecting the backup you wish to restore and then tweaking the date/time as required. It is not possible to set the controls to a date/time that can not be restored. Click OK.

Continue as above.

Restoring MS SQL to a different instance, folder or database name

It is possible to restore a backup to a different instance by selecting the target instance in the Instance drop down combo box. Be aware that there can be compatibility issues when restoring databases to Microsoft SQL instances of differing versions.

By default, the folder selected in Restore to directory is the default folder where the instance places MDF and LDF files associated with the databases. If you change the folder, upon restoration, the MDF and LDF files move to the target directory, wherever they were to start with.

By default, Macrium Reflect restores the database back to the original database name. However, if you change the name of the database in Target database name, a new database of that name is created. The MDF and LDF files that restore also rename. This ensures the original database does not change but can be deleted manually when it is no longer required.